Cigarette container



May 2, 1933; I COULAPIDES I, 1,906,742.

I CIGARETTE CONTAINER v Filed March 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Shee t 1 lNfiENTOR 3% w g 4M 143 ATTORNEYS P'atented May 2, 1933 h s i STATES I *PATENT OFFICE aN'rnoNvconnnrnns, on BnooaLYNf NEW Yonx emnam'rn CONTAINER i i l Application fl1ed 1tareh 11,]1929. sem No; staple:

' This invention relates to dual packages for from the accompanying drawings taken in cigarettes. a In dual or twin cigarette, pack-' connection with the description following. ages, thesheet material, usually thin card- In these drawings: 1 board, is formed to providejtwo packages or Pg. 1 is a perspective view of the packcon'ipartments hinged together so-that- "the age in openpposition' showing the facility two compartn'ients may be folded with their with which cigarettesmay be removed there flat Sides llacent oneanother and make a from. 'Z

compact attractive package to carry in the Fig. 2 is a perspective view of; the packpocket. I agein closed position.

m The invention relates particularly to cig- Fig. 3 is a perspective viewillustrating the a'rette' packages of this type in' which the single package which" is produced by removcompartments are open at one end for the lug one-half of the package shown in Figs.

' withdrawal of the cigarettes and are hinged "1 and 2. 1

' together at these open ends, the portion of Fig.4 is a perspective "view showing the the material forming the hinge also serving "interior arrangement of the package and the as the closure for the two compartments. method of assembling;

v 'Acontainer of this kind is disclosed in my Fig. 5 is a vertical sectiontaken centrally copending application Serial No. 273,482 filed of the package as viewed in. Fig. 2'. April 28, 1928, and the present invention re- Flg. 6 is asectional detail of a partially 7 2o lates more especially to improvements inthe' empty compartment." g

cigarette andcigar box shown in that ap-x F g. 7 a perspective view of the insert plication. My prior box'. meets admirably w or c garette retainer portion of the package.

' many of the requirements of a container of Fig. 8 1s aperspective view of one of the this nature. The primary object of the presshells, and j ent invention, however,1s.to provide a dual F1g. 9 Isa plan View of the insert or cigcigarette container having stillfurther imarette retainer. I

proved manipnlatingfeatures, ease of han- Referring now to the accompanying draw- I dling, accessibility of cigarettes, and in genln'gs, my cigarette (OIltHIIlGI CODSlStS'Of three eral "a dual cigarette container which proparts, two slmilarshell portions 11, as shown vides still greater convenience to the user. in Fig. ii, and an insert portion 12, as shown Another object of the present invention is 1 Flgl which forms a retainer or carrier to so construct the boxthat it can be readtheclgarett? A themsert P01151011 ily packed with cigarettes by automatic mahas b f ld a F a to be Presently as chinerv' described, with a gronp'of cigarettes at each end thereof, a shell 11'is telescoped over each struct the dual cigarettepackage in such a 0nd of i Fj n 1 f fi double way thatwhen all of the cigarettes have been ggg j sl fig 33332 con .amer 5 Own used l cmPartlnent of the package" As will alsii be-deseribed below the two i thls compartmetlt t j r compartments of the container shown in lPg-wmpflrqnent wlll'glve adequate Protec- Fig. 41113.} be folded as shown in Fig. 2 to, n g W bring the flat sides ofthe compartments ad- 0f the I Y P Q P jacent one another. This is the normal fold- ,Vlde 11 dual g p g ofiesuch 'ed position of the compartments for carrv- 45 struction that when'a portion of'the 'cig'ai gj t ke Wher it is desired t r s are r m ve fro i h r p m open the package for removal of cigarettes, the remaining cigarettes are automatically the two compartments are unfolded to the 'held in position for easy removal. position shown in'Fig. 4. the'insert 12 is slid i The features of construction of my impart way out of o'ne'of the shells 11; and the proved cigarette container will be understood opposite compartment bent downwardly as ,Another object'of my invention is to conillustrated in Fig. 1 so as to freely expose the layer of cigarettes in the upper compartment.

The insert (see Fig. 7) is cut out of an appropriate piece of cardboard or the like and is scored at certain predetermined places indicated by broken lines in the drawin to facilitate bending of the cardboard along these lines. A lighter scoring is made alon the lon itudinal edges of the insert and across the protruding tabs 13. These tabs are then bent at right angles to the plane of the insert and perform the function of holding between them a single layer of cigarettes disposed in parallel relation and placed upon the retainer so that the axes of the parallel cigarettes are parallel to the side of the insert. If desired the cigarettes may be placed at right angles to the side of the retainer. The end portion or apron 14 of the insert is then bent along the scored lines, each bend being at right angles so that one of the aprons 14 lies above each group of parallel cigarettes which have been placed upon the retainer 12. v

When cigarettes have been placed on both ends of the retainer in this manner and partially surrounded by the tabs 13 and the apron 14, preferably having been previously wrapped in foil or like moisture resistant material, the body or tubular shells 11 are slit over the folded portions of the retainer as shown in Fig. 4.

At the center of insert 12 and along the edges thereof, two. shoulders 15 protrude, and extending across the insert from the edges of one shoulder to the corresponding edges of the opposite shoulder and along the central line of the insert and the shoulders are three lines of scoring. The outer two of these scoring lines perform the function of a hinge for the two compartments of the dual package so that when the shells 11 are in place the insert is bentnormally along the two scoring lines at the edges of the shoulders 15. The shoulders serve as a means of keeping the two shells 11 equally spaced from the center line of the insert 12. I

Adjacent the shoulders 15 there are substantially triangular cut-out portions 16. The interior extending apices of the triangular cut-out portions 16 are preferably joined by perforated weakened lines 17. However the mere fact that the triangular portions are removed produces a weakened line at 17 The weakened line 17 performs two functions. When one of the shells 11 is partially withdrawn (see Fig. 1), the supporting influence of the shell 11 is taken away from the retainer 12 and the weakened line 17 permits the opposite compartment to fall out of alignment with the rest of the container, and exposing freely the ends of the cigarettes contained in this compartment. This weakened line 17 not only permits the opposite compartment to fall out of alignment with the remainder of the container, but it promotes a hinging action.

The other function of the weakened line 17 is to permit the cardboard to be torn readily along this line when one compartment becomes empty, so that the empty compartment may be discarded. The remaining portion of the insert- 12 serves as a closing flap to protect the cigarettes in the remaining compartment. This flap may be inserted between the inner wall of the shell 11 and the apron 14 of the retainer 12, if desired, but ordinarily will be allowed merely to fold against the outside of the compartment as this will give suflicient protection to the ends of the cigarettes.

\Vhen the remaining flap is used in this mannerthe retainer is bent along the central scored line so that the fia p will lie fiat against the shell 11 or fit within it. (See Fig. 3.) In case the tab is inserted, the edges of the vertical half of the projecting shoulders 15 may tend to restrict the entrance of the tab. This may be avoided by bending the vertical portion of the shoulders inwardly, and to facilitate the shoulders may be scored along the dotted lines 15'.

It has been found advantageous in packaging cigarettes to wrap them either in oil paper, tinfoil or the like, or possibly they may be wrapped in both tinfoil and oil paper in order to preserve them from the influence of the atmosphere. When cigarettes thus wrapped are packed in the dual package of the invention, an appropriate groupof cigarettes is laid parallel to each other, and the sheet or sheets 18 of preserving wrapper is wrapped around the cigarettes in such a manner that the overlapping portions of the wrapping is just covered by the apron 14 of the retainer 12 as it is placed in position (see Fig. 4). When the ends of the wrapper 18 are covered in this manner by the apron 14, the shell 11 may he slid over the retainer 12 without injuring the delicate preserving wrapper around the cigarettes.

It is advantageous to have the ends of the preserving wrapper adjacent the protruding ends of the cigarettes, for when the package is opened and the shell 11 slid outwardly to expose the weakened line 17, the enclosing wrapper has to be withdrawn before the cigarettes themselves are exposed. This is easy to accomplish if the end of the wrapper is ad'acent the end of the cigarettes and held just eneath the apron 14. This free end of the wrapper may, if desired, be then folded back into position after the required number of cigarettes are withdrawn from the packa e.

The withdrawal of cigarettes from the package permits the apron 14 to spring inwardly under the resilient action of the shell sides into the space between the tabs 13 from if there were no provis on made for retaining ments.;,Wit outt is provision thela'sttwo or three cigarettes :their. removal fro adjacent each .6) Thus. theapron. 14 acts .to' hol i the re; maimn cigarettes substantiallyin their par- 1.11am ationship ;(.se e. Fig. 6).. nuns this action. of the apron14, wheneverthepa'ckage j is o ened the ends of the cigarettes will pro- -tru e even -.though.only-a"fewc' arettes are left. This might, @however, not,-

the case.

osition int e compart in their '011 ma in the} one side 'of the package arequite apt to fall..-.side wise, and

t pe e: is ha y difficult.

The shells. 1'1 are-retained in their position surrounding" the-, insert: bysfrictional e agement of the inner. surfaces offthe she ,exteriorly of the folded insert When theftwo shells are laced. around the-foldedand filled retainer-t ey-are: ushed-toward thecenterx untiltheedgesof t e shellsengage shoulders.

15. Thus the two inde endent ..shells',.are automatically-, maintaine Y in spaced relation toeach otherequi-distant from the center of the insert. 7

When the insert or retainer is folded at right angles along the two'lines extending, from the edge of one shoulder to the corresponding-edge of the oppositeshoulder, these two scored portions serve as hinges for the two compartments and also connect the two compartments. When thus folded the two compartments lie 1 in parallel relationship other (see Fig. 2). 3 In this form the improved package of cigarettes occupies a minimum of space and is carried in the pocket conveniently.

The construction of m tainer is such that it can I readily packed or filled with cigarettes by automatic machinery. Referring to Fig. 9,sheets of foil or, other protective wrapper are deposited-upon the insert 12 on each side of the center ine thereof. A la er containin for.exam 1e 10 ci arettes is t en deposite on toap'o each of these wrappers, and substanti ly simultaneously therewith'the tabs 13 are folded upwardly and serve to hold the cigarettes in, the spaces between. them. Then the inner; ends of the foil wrapper are-folded over the tops of the inner/ends of the cigarettes and the aprons 14 are foldedover the outer ends of the cigarettes, carryin the foil wrapping with t em. The insert or retainer 12 then contains both; layers of cigarettes and is in the condition shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 4, ready. to have the shells 11 telescoped there-. upon. The shoulders 15 aid in this operation to secure the accuratecentering of the shellsupon the insert 12. In order to make it possible for a container 1 of the type disclosed erein to, compete with improved con- [tightness of packing tifiht. packing has two advantages.

1y to lie wit pose the outer ends of softwrapped or bundle wrapped packa es, the item 0 costis-of most importance. The container of my invention; however, can be made for a comparatively low cost because it does I not contain an inordinate amount of material and furthermore because the multiplicity of layers of cardboardin the finished package, as shown in Fi 5, renders possible the use of a 'light weigi t material; et the cigarettes are protecte adequately Another eature 'ofthe' improved box is the of theshells can be made so as to slightly compress the cigarettes at their sides and the comes the multiplicity of layers produces in efiect ,alaminated b ox having greater strength than oan commonly be. rocured with the use of light weight materialin' packages. or boxes of -.the ordinar construction. Y

which can beusedwithout damage to the cigarettes. Thethic'kne'ss width of the shells can be made so as to (squeeze the cigarettes tightly, and yet because the structure of the box provides for drawin the whole 1a er of cigarettes partially. out o the shell wit the opposite cigarette compart' ,ment unfolded" through an angle quite considerably greater than 180? as shown inFig; 1,,the.ends of the cigarettes are exposed so free that eventhough packed tightly they can. individually removed easil'. The

irst of it produces M a. small. compact package which takes up mminimum amount ofroom in. the pocket, and secondly it reduces the amount of cardboard or other sheet material lflilliled for making the box.

The oregning is to be considered merely as an exempli ingdisclosure and the invention. includes such modifications as come within the terms of the appended claims.

-Iclaim:e V i -1,1'A. dual cigarette package comprising two separate bodies, and a; folded retainer uniting said bodies and frictionally engaged therewith to form two cigarette compartments, folds in the connecting portion of the retainer to permit the compartments normaltheir sides ad acent one another,

and the retainer havin weakened lines 10-. cated outwardly. from t e said folds to.per-' mit the compartments tobe unfolded along ,one of said weakenedlines through anangle substantiall "greaterthan 180 to freely extheen sof thecigarettes. I I, 2.,

thereof, rtions of the said retainer being ppgsiteed es thereof to allow the retainer is severed along one of the lines joining the A duel cigarettepackage comprising twoindependent compartments, and a folded retainer uniting the said compartments frictionally engaged. with the I inner surfaces 'unfol ed to" freely expose the ends of the cigarettesand so that when the retainer no apices of the triangular cut-outs, the portion of the material adjacent.the cut-outs forms a flap for closing the remaining compartment. I I

3. A dual cigarette package comprising a strip of sheet inaterialfolded to form a cigarette retainer, and a body slidable over each I end 'to form a compartment for cigarettes, the

intermediate portion of said'strip joining the two compartments beingscored to permit the compartments to be folded with their flat sides adjacent one another, said strip having a weakened line spacedoutwardly from each of said scorings and parallel theretoto permit one of the compartments to be readily swung out of alignment with the opposite compartment by folding along one of said weakened lines when the cigarette retainer is slid partially out of the first mentioned compartment so as to leave the ends of the cigarettes in said compartments freely exposed.

. 4. A dual cigarette package comprising two independent shells. a folded retainer uniting said shells, frictionally engaged with the innersurfaces thereof, the retainer having weakened portions, said weakened portions located within the independent shells when said shells are in closed position and adapted to permit the backs of the independent shells to be folded toward each other when one of the shells is moved away from the center of the retainer a sufficient distance to bring one of the said weakened portions beyond the supporting influence of the other shell, thus permitting cigarettes to be freely exposed and easily withdrawn from the package. i

5 A dual cigarette package comprising two independent shells and a folded retainer for .cigarettesuniting the shells frictionally engaged therewith to form two independent cigarette compartments, folds in the connecting portion of the retainer to permit the compartments normally to lie with their sides adjacent one another, and shoulders on the connecting portion of the retainer to position the shells in centrally spaced relation to each other upon the retainer.

6. In a dual cigarette package a cigarette retainer having two portions for receiving in the same plane each a single layer of c' rettes, tabs at the side of each portion fold ed upwardly to engage the sides of the cigarettes, an apron at each end of the retainer for folding over the ends of the cigarettes, each end of the retainer having a tubular shell telescoped thereon, and the retainer being folded at the inner edges of the shells so as to perm t the shells to lie. normally with their sides adjacent one another.

7 In a dual cigarette package a retainer forreceiving two layers of cigarettes in the same plane at opposite ends thereof, the re tainer having aprons at each end folded over each layer of cigarettes and having a shell telescoped over each end to form a compartment for each cigarette layer, the cigarettes being removed through the inner 0 en ends of said shells, the retainer being folc ed along the inner edges of the shells to permit the shells to lie with their sides adjacent one another with the portion of the retainer between said fold lines serving as the closure for the cigarette compartments, the said portion of the retainer being laterally extended from the sides thereof forming stops serving 7 to center the shells upon the container.

ANTHONY CGULAPIDES. 

